Interactions of hydroxyl radicals with tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane and Good's buffers containing hydroxymethyl or hydroxyethyl residues produce formaldehyde

Kinetic Effects of H2O2 Speciation on the Overall Peroxide Consumption at UO2-Water Interfaces

The interfacial radiation chemistry of UO₂ is of key importance in the development of models to predict the corrosion rate of spent nuclear fuel in contact with groundwater. Here, the oxidative dissolution of UO₂ induced by radiolytically produced H₂O₂ is of particular importance. The difficulty of fitting experimental data to simple first-order kinetics suggests that additional factors need to be considered when describing the surface reaction between H₂O₂ and UO₂. It has been known for some time that UO₂ ²⁺ forms stable uranyl peroxo-carbonato complexes in water containing H₂O₂ and HCO₃ ^-/CO₃ ^2-, yet this concept has largely been overlooked in studies where the oxidative dissolution of UO₂ is considered. In this work, we show that uranyl peroxo-carbonato complexes display little to no reactivity toward the solid UO₂ surface in 10 mM bicarbonate solution (pH 8-10). The rate of peroxide consumption and UO₂ ²⁺ dissolution will thus depend on the UO₂ ²⁺ concentration and becomes limited by the free H₂O₂ fraction. The rate of peroxide consumption and the subsequent UO₂ ²⁺ dissolution can be accurately predicted based on the first-order kinetics with respect to free H₂O₂, taking the initial H₂O₂ surface coverage into account.

Influence of Zwitterionic Buffer Effects with Thermal Modification Treatments of Wood on Symbiotic Protists in Reticulitermes grassei Clément

Simple Summary

Over the past thirty years, the thermal modification of wood has become a universally recognised and commercialised wood modification process. Thermal modifications may affect wood properties, either positively (dimensional stability and decay resistance) or negatively (mechanical properties). The combination of the impregnation of specific reagents with thermal modification may help to overcome the negative effects on wood properties. In this study, we evaluate the effect of a combination of two zwitterionic buffers, bicine and tricine, and thermal modification of two wood species (beech and spruce) against subterranean termites and their symbiotic fauna. Bicine and tricine treatments alone had a clear influence on wood mass loss and termite survival. The flagellate protist symbiotic community was affected by the treatments and responded differently to them, as a highly adaptable community. However, the combination of bicine with the thermal modification showed a negative effect on termites and their symbionts on both wood species. The combination of these different factors should be further investigated, as these results seem to be promising with regard to the enhancement of the termite resistance of wood.

Abstract

The majority of thermal modification processes are at temperatures greater than 180 °C, resulting in a product with some properties enhanced and some diminished (e.g., mechanical properties). However, the durability of thermally modified wood to termite attack is recognised as low. Recent attempts at combining thermal modification with chemical modification, either prior to or directly after the thermal process, are promising. Buffers, although not influencing the reaction systems, may interact on exposure to certain conditions, potentially acting as promoters of biological changes. In this study, two zwitterionic buffers, bicine and tricine, chosen for their potential to form Maillard-type products with fragmented hemicelluloses/volatiles, were assessed with and without thermal modification for two wood species (spruce and beech), with subsequent evaluation of their effect against subterranean termites (Reticulitermes grassei Clément) and their symbiotic protists. The effect of the wood treatments on termites and their symbionts was visible after four weeks, especially for spruce treated with tricine and bicine and heat treatment (bicine HT), and for beech treated with bicine and bicine and heat treatment (bicine HT). The chemical behaviour of these substances should be further investigated when in contact with wood and also after heat treatment. This is the first study evaluating the effect of potential Maillard reactions with zwitterionic buffers on subterranean termite symbiotic fauna.

Aldehyde Production as a Calibrant of Ultrasonic Power Delivery During Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification

The protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique employs repeated cycles of incubation and sonication to amplify minute amounts of misfolded protein conformers. Spontaneous (de novo) prion formation and ultrasonic power level represent two potentially interrelated sources of variation that frustrate attempts to replicate results from different laboratories. We previously established that water splitting during PMCA provides a radical-rich environment leading to oxidative damage to substrate molecules as well as the polypropylene PCR tubes used for sample containment. Here it is shown that the cross-linking agent formaldehyde is generated from buffer ions that are attacked by hydroxyl radicals. In addition, free radical damage to protein, nucleic acid, lipid, and detergent molecules produces a substantial concentration of aldehydes (hundreds of micromolar). The measurement of aldehydes using the Hantzsch reaction provides a reliable and inexpensive method for measuring the power delivered to individual PMCA samples, and for calibrating the power output characteristics of an individual sonicator. The proposed method may also be used to better account for inter-assay and inter-laboratory variation in prion replication and de novo prion generation, the latter of which may correlate with aldehyde-induced cross-linking of substrate molecules.

Effects of Good's Buffers and pH on the Structural Transformation of Zero Valent Iron and the Oxidative Degradation of Contaminants

The presence of Good's buffers caused rapid ZVI corrosion and a dramatic release of Fe(II) leading to the Fe(II)-catalyzed transformation of ferrihydrite to lepidocrocite and/or the direct formation of lepidocrocite from the oxidation of Fe(II) in the pH range 4.0-6.2. In comparison, in the absence of Good's buffers, elution of Fe(II) was insignificant with ferrihydrite being the only Fe(III) oxyhydroxide detected following the oxidative transformation of ZVI. The rapid ZVI corrosion in the presence of Good's buffer is possibly due to either (i) disruption of the Fe oxide surface layer as a result of attack by Good's buffers and/or (ii) interaction of Good's buffer with the outer Fe oxide surface and surface-associated Fe(II)/Fe(III) causing the Fe oxide surface layers to be more porous with both these processes facilitating continuous O₂ access to the Fe(0) core and allowing the diffusion of Fe atoms outward. Our results further show that the deprotonated forms of Good's buffers and the surface charge of the Fe oxides formed at the ZVI surface strongly affect the sorption of the target compound (i.e., formate) and hence the oxidation of these compounds via surface-associated Fe(II)-mediated heterogeneous Fenton processes.

Role of Buffers in Protein Formulations

Buffers comprise an integral component of protein formulations. Not only do they function to regulate shifts in pH, they also can stabilize proteins by a variety of mechanisms. The ability of buffers to stabilize therapeutic proteins whether in liquid formulations, frozen solutions, or the solid state is highlighted in this review. Addition of buffers can result in increased conformational stability of proteins, whether by ligand binding or by an excluded solute mechanism. In addition, they can alter the colloidal stability of proteins and modulate interfacial damage. Buffers can also lead to destabilization of proteins, and the stability of buffers themselves is presented. Furthermore, the potential safety and toxicity issues of buffers are discussed, with a special emphasis on the influence of buffers on the perceived pain upon injection. Finally, the interaction of buffers with other excipients is examined.

The crucial role of divalent metal ions in the DNA-acting efficacy and inhibition of the transcription of dimeric chromomycin A3

Chromomycin A3 (Chro) is capable of forming a stable dimeric complex via chelation with Ni(II), Fe(II) and Co(II). According to the circular dichroism study, the dimer conformations are significantly different among the Fe(II)-, Co(II)-, and Ni(II)-containing dimeric Chro complexes; however, the dimer conformations were preserved at high temperatures. Furthermore, we conducted a systematic study to determine the effects of these divalent metal ions on the DNA-acting efficacy of dimeric Chro, including its DNA-binding affinity, DNA stabilization capacity, DNA cleavage activity, and the inhibition of transcription both in vitro and within cells. Kinetic analyses using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) showed that Ni^II(Chro)₂ exhibited the highest K_a with a value of 1.26×10⁷ M⁻¹, which is approximately 1.6- and 3.7-fold higher than the K_a values obtained for Co^II(Chro)₂ and Fe^II(Chro)₂, respectively. The T_m and ΔG values for the DNA duplex increased after the addition of drug complexes in the following order: Ni^II(Chro)₂>Co^II(Chro)₂>Fe^II(Chro)₂. In the DNA integrity assays, the DNA cleavage rate of Co^II(Chro)₂ (1.2×10⁻³ s⁻¹) is higher than those of Fe^II(Chro)₂ and Ni^II(Chro)₂, which were calculated to be 1×10⁻⁴ and 3.1×10⁻⁴ s⁻¹, respectively. Consistent with the SPR and UV melting results, Ni^II(Chro)₂ possesses the highest inhibitory effect on in vitro transcription and c-myc transcription within cells compared to Co^II(Chro)₂ and Fe^II(Chro)₂. By comparing the cytotoxicity among Co^II(Chro)₂, Fe^II(Chro)₂, and Ni^II(Chro)₂ to several cancer cell lines, our studies concluded that Ni^II(Chro)₂ displayed more potential antitumor activities than Co^II(Chro)₂ and Fe^II(Chro)₂ did due to its higher DNA-acting efficacy. Changes to the divalent metal ions in the dimeric Chro complexes have been correlated with improved anticancer profiles. The availability of new metal derivatives of Chro may introduce new possibilities for exploiting the unique properties of this class of compounds for therapeutic applications.

The impact of spermine competition on the efficacy of DNA-binding Fe(II), Co(II), and Cu(II) complexes of dimeric chromomycin A(3)

Chromomycin (Chro) forms a 2:1 drug/metal complex through the chelation with Fe(II), Co(II), or Cu(II) ion. The effects of spermine on the interaction of Fe(II), Co(II), and Cu(II) complexes of dimeric Chro with DNA were studied. Circular dichroism (CD) measurements revealed that spermine strongly competed for the Fe(II) and Cu(II) cations in dimeric Chro-DNA complexes, and disrupted the structures of these complexes. However, the DNA-Co(II)(Chro)(2) complex showed extreme resistance to spermine-mediated competition for the Co(II) cation. According to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) experiments, a 6mM concentration of spermine completely abolished the DNA-binding activity of Fe(II)(Chro)(2) and Cu(II)(Chro)(2) and interfered with the associative binding of Co(II)(Chro)(2) complexes to DNA duplexes, but only slightly affected dissociation. In DNA integrity assays, lower concentrations of spermine (1 and 2mM) promoted DNA strand cleavage by Cu(II)(Chro)(2), whereas various concentrations of spermine protected plasmid DNA from damage caused by either Co(II)(Chro)(2) or Fe(II)(Chro)(2). Additionally, DNA condensation was observed in the reactions of DNA, spermine, and Fe(II)(Chro)(2). Despite the fact that Cu(II)(Chro)(2) and Fe(II)(Chro)(2) demonstrated lower DNA-binding activity than Co(II)(Chro)(2) in the absence of spermine, while Cu(II)(Chro)(2) and Fe(II)(Chro)(2) exhibited greater cytoxicity against HepG2 cells than Co(II)(Chro)(2), possibly due to competition of spermine for Fe(II) or Cu(II) in the dimeric Chro complex in the nucleus of the cancer cells. Our results should have significant relevance to future developments in metalloantibiotics for cancer therapy.

Effects of polyamines on the DNA-reactive properties of dimeric mithramycin complexed with cobalt(II): implications for anticancer therapy

Few studies have examined the effects of polyamines on the action of DNA-binding anticancer drugs. Here, a Co(II)-mediated dimeric mithramycin (Mith) complex, (Mith)(2)-Co(II), was shown to be resistant to polyamine competition toward the divalent metal ion when compared to the Fe(II)-mediated drug complexes. Surface plasmon resonance experiments demonstrated that polyamines interfered with the binding capacity and association rates of (Mith)(2)-Co(II) binding to DNA duplexes, while the dissociation rates were not affected. Although (Mith)(2)-Co(II) exhibited the highest oxidative activity under physiological conditions (pH 7.3 and 37 degrees C), polyamines (spermine in particular) inhibited the DNA cleavage activity of the (Mith)(2)-Co(II) in a concentration-dependent manner. Depletion of intracellular polyamines by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) enhanced the sensitivity of A549 lung cancer cells to (Mith)(2)-Co(II), most likely due to the decreased intracellular effect of polyamines on the action of (Mith)(2)-Co(II). Our study suggests a novel method for enhancing the anticancer activity of DNA-binding metalloantibiotics through polyamine depletion.

The effect of different zwitterionic buffers and PBS used for out-of-incubator procedures during standard in vitro embryo production on development, morphology and gene expression of bovine embryos

The effect of the zwitterionic buffers HEPES, TES and MOPS and of PBS used for out-of-incubator procedures during standard in vitro embryo production on bovine oocytes and embryo development, morphology and on the expression patterns of eight selected genes: Fgf-4, Lama1, Ube2a, Gsta4, Il6, Sod1, Prss11 and Hspb1, was evaluated. All buffers were prepared at a concentration of 10 mM in TALP medium, with the exception of PBS. The total time of oocyte/embryo exposure to each buffer was approximately 41 min. The cleavage rates and number of embryos that developed to > or =8 cells at day 4 were no different among the buffers tested, however, more blastocysts developed at day 7, 8 and 9 in HEPES and MOPS treatments than in PBS and TES (P<0.05). No difference between buffers in total and apoptotic cell number was found. Except for Hspb1 and Ube2a genes, the levels of expression of the six remaining transcripts were higher in in vivo than in in vitro embryos irrespective of buffer used (P<0.05). In addition, higher expression of Hspb1 and lower expression of Ube2a and Lama1 were observed in PBS and TES than in MOPS and HEPES treatments (P<0.05). Expression of Fgf-4 and Gsta4 in the in vitro embryos was lower in PBS than in the remaining three buffers (P<0.05) and the level of expression of the Il6 gene was not affected by any buffer tested but was lower in in vitro than in in vivo derived embryos. Expression of both Sod1 and Prss11 genes in MOPS were at the level of the in vivo embryos. These results showed that the choice of buffer and short exposure time of approximately 41 min, affects mRNA expression of in vitro produced bovine embryos.

Minor contribution of direct ionization to DNA base damage inducedby heavy ions

PURPOSE

The deleterious processes triggered by heavy ions on DNA were studied through the determination of the yield of a series of oxidized bases. Emphasis was placed on the estimation of the respective contribution of direct ionization and indirect effects, mostly by comparison with low linear energy transfer (LET) gamma-rays.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

DNA samples and human monocytes were exposed either to gamma-rays emitted by a (60)Co source or to (12)C(6+) or (36)Ar(18+) ions. The levels of thymidine and 2'-deoxyguanosine oxidation products were determined by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry subsequently to DNA digestion into nucleosides.

RESULTS

The yields of thymidine lesions were similar to those of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine within isolated DNA exposed either to gamma-rays or argon ions. Addition of spermine and Tris aimed at minimizing the indirect effect modified this ratio to the same extent with both types of radiation. In cells, the level of radiation-induced base damage was found to be correlated with the radiolytic yield of degrees OH that depends on the LET of the particle. In addition, radiation-induced thymidine and 2'-deoxyguanosine lesions were produced in similar amounts. In contrast, oxidation of 2'-deoxyguanosine was the main process when ionization was triggered in cellular DNA by ultraviolet laser-induced biphotonic processes.

CONCLUSIONS

Predominant oxidation of 2'-deoxyguanosine is expected to be the hallmark of direct DNA ionization. The observation that thymidine and 2'-deoxyguanosine are equally damaged rules out a major contribution of the direct ionization in radiation-induced base damage to both isolated and cellular DNA by heavy ions. Dependence of the yield of lesions on the LET provides further support for this conclusion.

Generation of bactericidal and mutagenic components by pulsed electric field treatment

Inactivation of stationary phase Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria innocua (10(8) CFU/ml) by high intensity pulsed electric fields (PEF) was studied in water and different buffers at pH 7.0. The fraction of survivors after PEF treatment with 300 pulses (5 Hz) of 26.7 kV/cm and a pulse width of 2 micros varied between 0.050% and 55%, but was always lower in Tris-HCl buffer than in HEPES-KOH buffer and water. When cell suspensions were stored for 24 h at 25 degrees C after PEF treatment, the survivor fraction further decreased, except for E. coli in water and HEPES-KOH. By following the survival of untreated cells added to water or buffers that were previously PEF treated, this secondary inactivation could be ascribed to the formation of bactericidal components as a result of PEF treatment. Buffers and water containing 10 mM NaCl became bactericidal against all three bacteria upon PEF treatment, and the bactericidal effect could be neutralized by thiosulfate, suggesting that chlorine and/or hypochlorite had been formed. Also in the absence of Cl- ions, PEF treated water and buffers had bactericidal properties, but the specificity of the bactericidal effects against different bacteria differed depending on the buffer used. In the Ames mutagenicity test using His- S. Typhimurium mutant strains, PEF treated Tris buffers containing 10 mM Cl- ions, as well as PEF treated grape juice showed a mutagenic effect. The implications of these findings for the safety of PEF treated foods are discussed.

Effects of Common Buffer Systems on Drug Activity: The Case of Clerocidin

Two widely used biological buffers [tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (TRIS) and phosphate] covalently react with the topoisomerase II inhibitor clerocidin, affecting the drug's reactivity profile. Comprehensive analytical and structural analysis obtained by LC/MS, MS/MS, NMR, and IR techniques shows that these buffers form reversible and irreversible adducts through reactions with chemical groups, such as carbonyls, aldehydes, and epoxide. Analysis of the kinetic data on adducts formation suggests two parallel mechanisms for the inhibition of drug activity. The first involves modulation of the reactivity of the epoxide group obtained by elimination of the spiro system and relief of ring strain. This effect does not abolish epoxide reactivity and is more evident for the TRIS adduct, which can count on intramolecular stabilization of the form devoid of the spiro system. The second mechanism involves the slow nucleophilic attack to the epoxide ring, which results in permanent deactivation of the functional group responsible for topoisomerase II inhibition. This effect is predominant in phosphate buffer and is more evident for longer reaction times. These results provide a compelling reminder that the activity of chemically complex drugs in biological systems can be severely altered by buffer interactions, which may not be immediately predictable from the identity of the active group(s) and may require a more detailed knowledge of the subtle effects induced by vicinal groups.

Products of metabolic activation of the antitumor drug ledakrin (nitracrine) in vitro

The aim of this work was to characterize the products of metabolic activation of the antitumor drug ledakrin (Nitracrine) in model metabolic systems, where formation of drug-DNA adducts was previously discovered. The metabolic products obtained in different biological systems were compared with those obtained in experiments where chemical reducing agents were applied. Therefore, activation products were obtained in the presence of the microsomal fraction of rat liver and in the experiments with the reducing agents dithiothreitol, hydrazine hydrate, and SnCl(2). Furthermore, transformations of the drug with oxidoreductase enzymes DT-diaphorase and xanthine oxidase were observed. The ledakrin transformation products were separated and analyzed by HPLC with diode array detection. Structural studies of the products were performed by means of ESI-MS and NMR. Proton, carbon, and nitrogen assignments were made based upon DQF-COSY, ROESY, TOCSY, HSQC, and HMBC experiments. It was demonstrated during the reduction of ledakrin that a key metabolite, a compound with an additional five-membered ring attached to positions 1 and 9 of the acridine core and with the retained 9-aminoalkyl side chain, was formed in all the systems that were studied. It was determined that the reactive nitrogen atoms of this additional ring underwent further transformations resulting in the formation of a six-membered ring produced by the addition of a carbon atom to the dihydropyrazoloacridine ring. Furthermore, it was observed that positions 2 and 4 of ledakrin's acridine ring are susceptible to nucleophilic substitution as revealed by the studies with dithiothreitol. Additionally, although most products from the reduction of ledakrin were extremely unstable, 1-aminoacridinone, produced enzymatically and with dithiothreitol, exhibited persistent stability under the studied conditions.

Characterization of covalent adriamycin-DNA adducts

Adriamycin is a popular antineoplastic agent whose ability to form covalent adducts with DNA has been correlated to cellular apoptosis (programmed cell death) in tumor models. We have isolated and purified this adduct formed under oxido-reductive (Fenton) conditions in Tris buffer. We show by homo- and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy that the covalent Adriamycin-DNA adduct is structurally equivalent to that resulting from direct reaction with formaldehyde. Covalent linkage of the drug to one of the DNA strands confers remarkable stability to the duplex, indicated by a 162-fold reduction in the rate of strand displacement compared with the complex with noncovalently bound drug. Glyceraldehyde also engenders covalent Adriamycin-DNA complexes, providing a possible relevant biological context for in vivo adduct formation.

pH drift of "physiological buffers" and culture media used for cell incubation during in vitro studies

In pharmacological or toxicological studies performed at room atmosphere comparison of various media used for cell incubation revealed discrepancies among results due to pH instability when these media contain bicarbonate. With the classically used protocols, a relatively fast and notable rise of the pH of such media has been observed, and values higher than 8.5 could be reached after 1 h of incubation. A less important rise in pH was also observed for media containing low amounts of sodium bicarbonate, e.g., Hank's formula-derived media. Because Hepes-buffered media or media with abnormal osmolarity cannot always be used for such studies, our choice of media is limited.

Production of formaldehyde and DNA-adriamycin or DNA-daunomycin adducts, initiated through redox chemistry of dithiothreitol/iron, xanthine oxidase/NADH/iron, or glutathione/iron

The reaction of the antitumor drugs adriamycin and daunomycin with the self-complementary DNA oligonucleotide (GC)4 to generate DNA-drug adducts was investigated as a function of redox reaction conditions. The redox systems dithiothreitol (DTT)/Fe(III) and xanthine oxidase/ NADH both gave the same distribution of four DNA-anthracycline adducts. In each of these adducts the anthracycline is bonded via a methylene linkage between the 3'-amino group of the drug and the 2-amino group of a deoxyguanosine of the DNA. The methylene linkage results from reaction of the drug and DNA with in situ-generated formaldehyde via Schiff base chemistry [Taatjes, D.J., Gaudiano, G., Resing, K., and Koch, T.H. (1997) J. Med. Chem. 40, 1276-1286]. Formaldehyde production is promoted by iron, inhibited by metal-chelating agents, and does not require drug. Iron enhances formaldehyde production by a factor of 30, EDTA inhibits its formation by a factor of 2, and Desferal inhibits its formation by a factor of more than 20. Hydrogen peroxide accumulates in significant quantities only with xanthine oxidase/NADH in the presence of Desferal. The results are explained in terms of Fenton oxidation of Tris buffer to formaldehyde. Biological reagents also cause DNA-drug adduct formation; reduction of ferric ion with glutathione in phosphate buffer in the presence of spermine produced the same DNA-drug adducts. The observations are discussed in terms of cytotoxicity resulting from iron chelated to adriamycin catalyzing in vivo production of formaldehyde which links adriamycin to DNA and tumor cell resistance resulting from factors which decrease formaldehyde.

Redox pathway leading to the alkylation of DNA by the anthracycline, antitumor drugs adriamycin and daunomycin

Reaction of the anthracycline, antitumor drugs adriamycin and daunomycin with the self-complementary DNA oligonucleotide GCGCGCGC, (GC)4, in the presence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol, the oxidizing agent hydrogen peroxide, or the alkylating agent formaldehyde gives a similar mixture of DNA-drug adducts. Negative ion electrospray mass spectra indicate that adduct formation involves coupling of the DNA to the anthracycline via a methylene group and that the major adduct is duplex DNA containing two molecules of anthracycline, each bound to a separate strand of the DNA via a methylene group. The source of the methylene group is formaldehyde. A molecular structure with each anthracycline intercalated at a 5'-CpG-3' site and covalently bound from its 3'-amino group to a 2-amino group of a 2'-deoxyguanosine nucleotide is proposed based upon spectral data and a relevant crystal structure. The reaction of (GC)4 with the anthracyclines and formaldehyde forms an equilibrium mixture with DNA-drug adducts which is shifted toward free DNA by dilution. The results suggest a pathway to the inhibition of transcription by reductively activated adriamycin and daunomycin. Reductive activation in the presence of oxygen yields hydrogen peroxide; hydrogen peroxide oxidizes constituents in the reaction mixture to formaldehyde; and formaldehyde couples the drug to DNA. In this regard, hydrogen peroxide reacts with adriamycin via Baeyer-Villiger reactions at the 13-position to yield 2, 3, and formaldehyde. Formaldehyde also results from hydrogen peroxide oxidation of Tris [tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane] present in transcription buffer and spermine, a polyamine commonly associated with DNA in vivo, presumably via the Fenton reaction.

The leucine zipper domain controls the orientation of AP-1 in the NFAT.AP-1.DNA complex

BACKGROUND

Heterologous transcription factors bound to adjacent sites in eukaryotic promoters often exhibit cooperative behavior. In most instances, the molecular basis for this cooperativity is poorly understood. Our efforts have been directed toward elucidation of the mechanism of cooperativity between NFAT and AP-1, two proteins that coordinately direct expression of the T-cell growth factor interleukin-2 (IL-2).

RESULTS

We have previously shown that NFAT1 orients the two subunits of AP-1, c-Jun and c-Fos, on DNA through direct protein-protein interactions. In the present study, we have constructed cJun-cFos chimeric proteins and determined their orientation using a novel affinity-cleavage technology based on chemical ligation. We find that, in the presence of NFAT, the chimeric heterodimer binds in such a way as to preserve the orientation of the AP-1 leucine zipper, but not that of the basic region.

CONCLUSIONS

Protein-protein interactions between NFAT and the leucine zipper of AP-1 enable the two proteins to bind DNA cooperatively and coordinately regulate the IL-2 promoter. The chemical ligation technology presented here provides a powerful strategy for affinity cleavage studies, including those using recombinant proteins.